Lt Col Travis Cope is the Commander of the 62d Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The 62 OSS enables the daily execution of airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation, and humanitarian missions around the globe supporting U.S. national interests. Lt Col Cope commands more than 220 military and civilian personnel, as well as eight unique flights with 13 Air Force Specialty Codes including Airfield Operations, Current Operations, Weather, Intelligence, Readiness, Tactics, Aircrew Training, and Aircrew Flight Equipment.
Lt Col Cope received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. In 2008. He completed Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training in 2010 and served in a variety of assignments including flying assignments in the 15th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston S.C. and the 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus Air Force Base (AFB), Okla. Additionally, he was assigned to Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Va. where he served as a Strategist on the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group. Prior to this assignment, Lt Col Cope was the Operations Officer, 7th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Lt Col Cope is a Command Pilot with over 3,000 hours, including over 680 combat hours. He deployed multiple times in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s RESOLUTE SUPPORT mission.
EDUCATION
2008 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2008 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Business Administration, Project Management, Trident University, California, by distance learning
2014 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Master of Science, Operations Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2008 – October 2010, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
2. October 2010 – November 2014, Readiness Officer, Pilot Scheduler, Mission Director, Current Operations Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot, 15th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
3. November 2014 – November 2015, Executive Officer, Formal Training Unit (FTU) Instructor Pilot, 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
4. November 2015 – October 2016, Executive Officer, FTU Evaluator Pilot, 97th Operations Group, Altus AFB, Okla.
5. October 2016 – October 2017, FTU Standardization and Evaluation Pilot, 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
6. October 2017 – June 2019, Chief, Wing Commander’s Action Group and Executive Officer, FTU Evaluator Pilot, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
7. June 2019 – June 2020, Student, Advanced Study of Air Mobility, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
8. June 2020 – June 2021, Executive Officer, Directorate of Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
9. June 2021 – June 2023, Strategist, Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air force Executive Action Group, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. July 2023 – May 2024, Inspector General, Instructor Pilot, 62d Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
11. June 2024 – May 2025, Operations Officer, 7th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
12. May 2025 – Present, Commander, 62d Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-6A, T-38C, C-17A, KC-135R
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2008
First Lieutenant May 28, 2010
Captain May 28, 2012
Major Jan 1, 2018
Lieutenant Colonel Oct 1, 2022
(Current as of June 2025)